Virgin Mary statue inaugurated in Polish village as Europe's tallest

Poland has inaugurated the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary in Europe. The monument stands 55.6 metres tall in Konotopie, a small village in one of Poland's poorest regions. It was blessed on August 15, 2026, a important date in the Catholic calendar. Billionaire Roman Karkosik paid for the project, which cost around 100 million zlotys, about $26 million. The statue is taller than another famous Polish religious monument, the Christ the King statue in Swiebodzin. Only a statue in the Philippines, at roughly 98 metres, is taller. Former anti-communist leader Lech Walesa attended the ceremony. Construction was not fully finished on the day, with scaffolding still visible. Local officials hope the site will bring pilgrims and new jobs to the area.